The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-11-25
Art Education for Women.

"Since cultivation of art must be bred
into people, and slowly assimilated by
them," says Mary A. Livermore, "it is
matter OF congratulation that in so many
American cities, movement for indust-
rial art education has been well begun.
'The woman who has thorough art
education can to-day easily find employ
ment. The demand for art teachers is in
excess of the supply. Eighteen young
ladies who graduated from school of
design in one OF our Eastern cities found
immediate and lucrative employment.
Occupation in the useful and ornamental
arts will give to the rising ambition and
talent OF American girls large and
noble scope.
There is an unworked mine Of untold
wealth among us, says Professor Walter
Smith, In the art education of women.
We could utilize much human life, not
now profitably occupied, by educating
and employing women as teachers OF art.
There are also many branches of art
workmanship, requiring delicate fingers
and native readiness OF taste, which
could be better performed by women
than men. There is, therefore, for
young women obliged to think for self
support, a large and hopeful future, In
dustrial art furnishes them with fit
ting for many kinds of employment,
pleasant and profitable, labor well suited
to their tastes, their strength, and capac-
ty. They must be willing TO elevate
their standard of preparation must be
content to serve long and sometimes
laborious apprenticeship to their various
professions.
"No investment OF funds will yield so
large an interest to an American city as
the money given to found technical and
industrial schools, where gifted and
promising girls can be trained for such
occupations at small expense TO them
selves. Their commercial value, alone,
should give them practical importance
in any community. And as an in
dustrial art and fine art, have in tn
main, the same elementary basis, what
ever promotes the former must aid the
latter directly or indirectly; and thus
the public taste will be elevated, and the
public judgment OF art-matters educated.
81 have emphasized the need and
value OF art-education for women, be-
cause OF the deficiency in this respect in
our present school systems; and because
it offers 10 the ambition of women an al
most limitless help, not crowded with
applicants, as is the profession OF teach
ing.
"And when, in addition, a New Eng.
land manufactures makes the statement
that the designs used in his factory cost
| forty thousand dollars yearly, every dol
lar of which goes to England France
and Germany, and that the same design
might have been made within a mile o
his mill for five thousand dollars, if an
art-school had been maintained there iol
| five years, We have very strong reason
for the conviction that the technca
schools and schools of design, already
doing such good work, will be increased
and thoroughly efficient, When was an
American accused of indifference to any
question of money,saving or money-mak
ing? The difficulties in the way OF art
education vanish daily, Its agenciet
and its area have doubled in the last SIX
years, and are already providing employ
ment for large numbers OF women.n